Electric-light socket.



A.- H. BUCKELEW.

ELECTRIC LIGHT SOCKET. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2, 191?.

1 ,230,662. I PatentedJune 19, 1917.

WI I INVENTQR iflfiBaak leza BY ALBERT BUGKELEW, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOB OF ONE-FOURTH TO V. C. GILPI N AND ONE-FOURTH TO J. E. MOAULIFIFE, BOTH OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

' ELECTRIC-LIGHT sooKn'r.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 19, 1917.

Application filed March 2, 1917. serial No. 152,076.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. BUCKELEW, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric-Light Sockets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric light fixtures or sockets for incandescent lamps, the object of the invention being to provide a socket or fixture embodying separable parts having a novel combination and relation to each other, whereby the operation of connecting and disconnecting the members of the socket is greatly facilitated and whereby when the parts are assembled, a firm and reliable lock is obtained between the separable members or sections of the shell of the fixture which will prevent any possibility of said sections becoming accidentally disconnected.

With the above and other objects in View which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangements of parts which will hereinafter be fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. 4

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a single and preferred form of the invention, it being, that no limitations are necessarily made to the precise structural details therein ex hibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may'be resorted to when desired.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a complete lamp socket or fixture embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical diametrical section through the shell, showing the insulatingbox andthreaded neck in elevation.

Fig. 3, is a detail perspective viewv of the unlocking ring.

Fig. 4 is a similarview of the cap, per 86.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the outer shell detached.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the outer shell of the socket or fixture, which in carrying out the present invention, is provided adjacent to the top edge thereof with spring fingers 2-, which are punched or struck from the thin sheet metal of which the nnunber is composed. Three of such spring however, understood fingers or catches 2 are shown and each of said catches or fingers is formed by making a substantially U-shaped incision through the metal thereby forming the catch or finger 2, and the latter is indented, punched or otherwiseshaped to provide a lip or shoulder 3, extending outwardly therefrom and adapted to spring into one of a series of slots 42, extending circumferentially of the annular flange or rim 5 of a metal cap 6 mounted upon the usual fixture arm if desired, through which the current wires pass. Encircling the flange or rim 5 is an unlocking ring 8. which is punched or indented to provide an annular series of inwardly extending cant like projections 9, which, when the unlocking ring is turned in a certain direction, cooperate with the spring fingers or catches 2. and serve to press the same inwardly until the shoulders 3 thereof are moved out of engagement with the slot-s in the rim of the supportv ing cap. Thereupon the shell 1 may be out of engagement with the supporting cap. Preparatory to reinserting the shell 1, in the supporting cap, the unlocking ring is turned in the reverse direction, therebyenabling the spring catches or fingers 2, to snap into engagement with the slots of the rim of the cap by merely pushing the shell into the cap. The two parts are now securely locked together and cannot become disengaged or unlocked except by properly manipulating or turning the unlocking ring.

The cap 6 is provided adjacent-to the bottom edge thereof with an inwardly extending lip or projection 10. which is receivablein a slot 11 in the shell 1. the slot 11 being also designed to receive the shan 12 of the switch key 13, as shown in Fig. The lip or projection 10 prevents any relative movement between. the cap 6 and the shell 1, but admits of the necessary relative sliding movement of the shell 1 on'the cap (5 to bring the shoulders 5 of the spring fingers 2 into position to engage the slots 4 in the cap 6.

14 designates a threaded 'key or screw which is inserted on a slant through an opening in the upperportio'n of the cap 6 against said usual fixture arm.- The screw is inserted from the inside of the cap 6, and it is then fore concealed. and is adapted to be adjusted from the front of the shell.

I claim I. In an elertricdamp socket fixture. an outer socket shell having spring catches struck therefrom, a supporting cap for said shell having an annular rim into which a portion of said shell fits, said rim being formed with slots to receive said catches, and an unlocking ring partially rotatable around said rim an having cam-like projections which are movable lengthwise of said slots and which cooperate with said spring catches to press slots.

2. In an electric lamp fixture, a lamp socket shell embodying a plurality of spring catches struck therefrom, a supporting cap embodying a rim in which a portion of said shell has a sliding fit, said rim being formed with slots to receive said catches, and rotatable means on said cap for ressing said catches out of engagement with the slots in said rim.

3. In an electric lamp fixture, an outer socket I shell I therefrom, a supportlng cap for -said shell having an annular rim into which a portion of said shell fits, said rim being formed with slots to receive said catches, and an unlocking ring partially rotatable around said rim and. having cam-like projections which are movable lengthwise of said slots and which cooperate with said sprin catches to press the same out of said slots, the projections on said ring serving also as means for limiting the rotative movement of said ring in relation ing cap.

4. In an electric lamp fixture, a lamp I Copies socket shell embod the same out of said having spring catches struckto the supportsocket shell embodying a pluralityof spring catches, a su rtm ca embodying a rim relative to viliizh tlia slihll is slidable but non-rotatable, said rim being formed with slots to receive said catches and rotatable means on said cap for out of engagement with the slots in the rim. 5. In an electric l'a'mp fixture, a lamp ying a plurality of spring catches, a supporting cap embodying a rim relative to which non-rotatable, said rim'belng formed with slots to receive said catches and rotatable means on said cap for pressing said catches out 03E engagement with movement of the cap and shell while adthe slots in the rim, and means for preventing relative rotativei the shell is slidable but mitting of arelative sliding movement ofi the same.

6. In an electric lamp fixture, a lamp ying a pluralitypf spring socket shell embed catches, a supporting cap embodying a rim relative to which the shell is slidable but non-rotatable, said rim being formed with slots to receive said catches and rotatable means on said cap for pressing said catches out of engagement with the slots in the rim, and a key screw inserted from the interior through the head portion of the cap and adapted to engage the supporting fixture.

In testimony ture.

ALBERT H. BUcKEL w:

of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

whereof I afiix my signs- 40 a pressing said catches 

